


I Should Have Been There

by sigmamaymightwrite



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Character Death, Gen, Hallucinations, PTSD, possible gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:56:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24499051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sigmamaymightwrite/pseuds/sigmamaymightwrite
Summary: Based on the Living Tombstone song "It's Been So Long," this is a story of a mother going insane as she tries to solve the disappearance of her son. Any lore mentioned will be based on the Game Theory interpretation, although it may not be in chronological order. This story is meant for entertainment purposes and isn't meant to be taken seriously.
Kudos: 2





	1. The Day Of...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. I must admit now, this is a bit of an experiment and a challenge. I'm usually not great with keeping up on writing a story, and I'm not experienced in horror writing, so this is a project to knock both of those things off the list. Please bear with me, and if you have *any* suggestions, feel free to offer them.

It’s a peaceful morning. One like any other. The warm sun comes through the kitchen window, as I finish up some dishes from the night before. As he always does, every morning, my son, Gabriel, comes bounding down the stairs with a bright smile on his face. It’s his friend, Jeremy’s birthday today; he’s been excited about the party all week. Unfortunately, I can’t go with him, but he’s confident that he’ll be okay. With his reassurances and the stereotypical attitude of _‘I’ll be fine, Mom’_ statements, I finally relent. Besides, Jeremy’s mom and the other kids’ parents will be there. It’ll be okay, I’m sure.  
  
If only I knew what I know now.

I dropped him off with the gift we bought the day before, and some allowance for him to play some games in the arcade. He’s eight years old now. He’ll be starting fourth grade in the fall, alongside all of his friends. Jeremy, Susie, Fritz, and Cassidy. They’ve all been stuck at the hip for years.  
  
My fear of leaving him to his own devices at the pizzeria isn’t just me being paranoid. Well, maybe a bit. It’s 1983 now, but in `79, one of the owners’ daughter was found dead in the alley outside. Some kids thought it would be funny to block off the ‘state of the art’ security puppet meant to monitor whether kids went outside or not, and she, well, got outside. We live in a fairly small town in Ohio, so it’s unusual for murders or kidnappings to happen. Needless to say, the death caused mass hysteria.

Since then, her father, Henry, has been secluding himself in his home. He still makes animatronics, and fuels the pizzeria’s entertainment value, but, as one who isn’t much into the mascots of Freddy Fazbear’s, I worry for him and his mental state.  
  
On the other hand, there’s the other owner, William. He’s always been a charming and welcoming man. Apparently he’s just as good with animatronics as Henry, but Henry wasn’t ever great with business, so that was left to him. He’s usually around the pizzeria, making sure patrons have a good time. No one had ever been scared of him. Maybe that was the mistake.  
  
The sound of sirens in the town is a horrifying noise. As I said before, not many things happen that call for them to be turned on. I was at work, finishing some things up from the day before, when I saw two police cars driveby my building. Almost immediately, the phone on my desk rang. Picking it up, I feared the worst.  
  
It’s every person’s dream to be right, but in this case, it was my absolute nightmare.  
  
“Catherine, I-I’m so sorry.” The voice was sobbing, but I could easily tell it was Nancy, Jeremy’s mom. “You...You need to come to Freddy’s, now, please.”

I didn’t even wait to answer. I slammed the phone down, grabbed my purse, and bolted out of the building. I hadn’t realized it, but it was dark. The only light that illuminated the town was the street lights and my car’s headlights. I must have blacked out from my anxiety, because I don’t even remember arriving at the restaurant.  
  
People were lined up outside the pizzeria, cops questioning each of them. I spotted Nancy, running to her with adrenaline starting to pump through me. It was at that moment that I realized I didn’t see Gabriel. I tried to ask her what happened, but she was sobbing too much to even get a word out. An officer took me aside, a solemn look on his face.  
  
“Are you Gabriel Lang’s mother?” he asked me, and I forced myself to gulp down a knot that had formed in my throat.  
  
“...Yes.” The word barely came out. I knew where this was going. Tears had already formed in my eyes, guilt hitting my chest. If only I had stayed, if only I had listened to my instinct.  
  
He explained what happened. Gabriel and his friends apparently seemed to disappear out of thin air. Fritz’s father claims he only looked away for a second. They have no leads, except some kids talking about a golden bunny. The police seem apprehensive to even take that route, and just called it a lost cause.  
  
The adults are all either crying or consoling others. Their kids, however, seem unaffected. As if they didn’t quite understand the gravity of it all. It’s that exact innocence that caused these kids to go missing.  
  
My hand clasps over my mouth. I was the only parent not present. My husband is on a business trip, and my older daughter was at a friend’s house. They can’t be blamed. This is my fault. If I had only just gone with him, none of these kids would be gone.  
  
After more questioning and more crying, I made my way home. I don’t understand how any of us are supposed to sleep. How is it fair that the other parents get to take their kids home? Why did we get stuck with this fate? Why did it have to be our kids? God, what is wrong with me? Would I really ask to put this fate on another mother? I don’t think anyone should endure this pain.  
  
I get up the stairs of my home. I’m home alone. I prefer it that way, for now. I don’t think I could pick up my daughter in this state. I don’t think I could tell her, at least not now. And how will I tell Andrew? He won’t be home for another week, and I can’t even contact him…  
  
I head to my room, but I stop at an open door. Gabriel’s room. Part of me hoped that he somehow had made it home, that he would just be asleep in his bed. Damn my wishful thinking. The room was empty, void of life, or happiness. A tomb that would serve to haunt me of my guilt for years to come. I thought I had been done crying. I thought whatever reservoir of tears I had was empty. I guess not.  
  
I began to sob again, slamming the door of his room shut. I busted into my own room, slamming down my belongings. I just collapsed to the floor. My head hurt. I felt suffocated. But, I couldn’t stop crying or thinking about him.

How could anyone expect me to stop?


	2. The Day After...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It can't remain untold forever, can it?

I haven’t slept. My eyes are dry, which, partly, is relieving to me. It means I won’t cry, at least for now. Despite my splitting headache, though, I try to get up from the floor. I hadn’t gotten up from where I collapsed in my room all night. Hours felt like days until the sun came up, which only served to make my headache worse.  
  
It’s 7 o’clock. I don’t have to pick up Dominique until 11. I don’t know what to do with myself until then. I guess I should try to just make myself look alive, for the sake of some normalcy. In doing so, I go to my bathroom. Sluggish, but I make it there. I take off my clothes, turning on the water. I seem to blackout because it feels like ages until the water is hot. I shake off whatever tiredness that caused it, stepping in gingerly.  
  
The hot water is comforting. But, I don’t feel like I deserve it. It’s a kind of comfort that should be reserved for people who really deserve it. After last night, I just feel like a monster, as though I’m the one who kidnapped those kids.  
  
My mind raced with guilt, but I finally came to my senses and finished my shower. I got out, got dressed again, and decided to just ring out my hair rather than any styling. I didn’t have the energy for that. When I was done, I went to the kitchen. My stomach turned at the thought of food, so I just chose to make coffee.  
  
Without really thinking, I went through a whole pot by myself. It wasn’t until I saw the clock that I realized how long I took in doing so.  
  
_11:30._ _  
  
_

“Shit!” I said, running for the door. I grabbed my purse, and somehow made it to my car without tripping on the way there. I wasn’t surprised that my daughter hadn’t called me; she was always trying to milk her time with Bela. Thankfully, her house wasn’t very far from ours.  
  
I turned the corner onto the street, parking parallel in front of the home. I got out, but I was greeted by the sight of Julie, Bela’s mom. She looked sad. Guess news gets around quickly in small towns. Maybe too quickly.  
  
“Catherine, I’m so sor--”  
  
“No. Please don’t,” I said, cutting her off. I didn’t want to hear people’s pity. I was too angry to accept it. “Does Nikki know?”  
  
“I-- No, she doesn’t. Neither does Bela. I knew she’d say something if she did.”  
  
I nodded, taking a deep breath. Without a word, I gestured impatiently to the door. Julie seemed to understand, because she just nodded in response and opened it.  
  
“Nikki, your mom’s here!” she called out.  
  
From up the stairs came a call of acknowledgment. Only moments later, Nikki came running down, with Bela in tow. My daughter is seventeen this year, going into her senior year. In usual sibling fashion, her brother would always annoy her and steal her things, and she’d blame things she did on him. But, I knew that she would do anything for him, despite all that.  
  
A knot formed in my throat as I forced a smile.  
  
“Are you ready to go?” I asked, and she nodded. With a quick goodbye to Bela and Julie, we left. Getting into the car, my heart hurt at how happy Nikki seemed. And I had to ruin it.  
  
Without a beat, she asked the dreaded question.  
  
“So, did the little shit have fun at the party?”  
  
_Normally_ I would reprimand her for cursing. But, there really was no point now. I gulped down the knot in my throat, my grip on the steering wheel tightened. She seemed to notice, because her smile faded.  
  
“Mom, what’s wrong? I’m sorry, I won’t say that ag--”  
  
“No,” I cut her off. I took a deep, shaky breath. “No, no, it’s not that. I…” I didn’t know how to word it. At this point, there was no _easy_ way to tell her. It was a bandaid that just needed to be ripped off.  
  
“Nikki, Gabriel… went missing yesterday at the pizzeria. With the other four.”  
  
Her jaw dropped, and I could tell she wanted to comfort me. But, at the same time, how does one comfort someone when they’re just as hurt by it? She stayed quiet, slumping in her seat. I would look over every once and a while, and I could see tears. But, I didn’t comment. Because if I commented, I would just cry too.  
  
It wasn’t long until we made it home. She didn’t say anything and just ran to her room, slamming the door. What I wouldn’t give to take these feelings away… I just want my son back, and I know now that she wants him back too.  
  
I take a deep breath, making my way up to the second floor. My tiredness finally reached me, as I seemed to just move to the bed without much thought. The moment I hit the pillow, I fell asleep.  
  
God, I wish I hadn’t.


End file.
